Pentagon says 'small number' of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region; Biden concerned

The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that a "small number" of North Korean troops are successful Russia’s Kursk region adjacent nan Ukrainian border, adding that a mates of 1000 much soldiers are expected to get astatine immoderate time.

Last week, White House National Security communications head John Kirby confirmed that betwixt early to mid-October, North Korea moved astatine slightest 3,000 troops into eastbound Russia.

Now, nan Pentagon says astir 10,000 North Korean troops person been sent to Russia, and they are preparing to beryllium sent to nan conflict lines alongside Russian troops successful their conflict against Ukraine.

"We judge that nan DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has sent astir 10,000 soldiers successful full to train successful eastbound Russia, and that these troops will astir apt augment Russian forces adjacent Ukraine complete nan adjacent respective weeks," Pentagon property caput Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a news briefing Tuesday. "A information of those soldiers person already moved person to Ukraine towards Russia's Kursk Oblast, adjacent nan separator pinch Ukraine."

NORTH KOREA SENDS WARNING TO SOUTH KOREA, SAYING TROOPS READY TO STRIKE IF MORE DRONES APPEAR

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet astatine nan Pyongyang Sunan International Airport extracurricular Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Ryder said nan troops are successful summation to a mates of 1000 others already successful nan Kursk region, adding nan Department of Defense (DoD) is concerned that Russia intends to usage nan soldiers successful combat aliases to support combat operations against Ukraine.

"Indications that there's already a mini number [of North Korean troops] that are really successful nan Kursk Oblast, pinch a mates of 1000 much that are either almost there, aliases owed to get imminently," he said.

The Pentagon could not corroborate whether nan North Korean soldiers were successful truth wrong Ukraine, yet.

"Initial indications are that these troops will beryllium employed successful immoderate type of infantry role," Ryder reiterated. "But again, what that could beryllium remains to beryllium seen. So, we're going to proceed to show closely."

NORTH KOREA HAS SENT TROOPS TO RUSSIA, PENTAGON CONFIRMS

A vessel and worker connected nan move adjacent Chasiv Yar, Ukraine, July 20, arsenic Russian forces participate nan outskirts of nan area successful nan Donetsk region.  (Ethan Swope/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Like nan DoD, President Biden expressed concerns astir North Korean soldiers preparing for conflict against Ukraine successful Russia.

After speaking astir infrastructure successful Baltimore connected Tuesday, a newsman asked Biden if he was worried astir North Korean troops successful Russia.

"I americium concerned astir it, yes," he said.

Biden was past asked if Ukrainians should onslaught back.

NORTH KOREA BLOWS UP PARTS OF INTER-KOREAN ROAD AND RAIL LINKS IN SYMBOLIC DISPLAY OF ANGER

President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak astatine nan 2023 NATO Summit successful Vilnius, Lithuania. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

"If they transverse into Ukraine, yes," Biden said.

Intelligence officials successful some South Korea and Ukraine had antecedently stated that North Korean troops were being transferred to Russia.

"What precisely are they doing? Left to beryllium seen. These are things that we request to benignant out," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said.

SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE SAYS NORTH HAS SENT TROOPS TO AID RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE

North Korean soldiers march successful Pyongyang. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Russia and North Korea person denied nan unit movements.

South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong told lawmakers that North Korea plans to deploy 10,000 troops to Russia by December, a number that lines up pinch claims from Ukrainian intelligence.

South Korea said past week that it whitethorn commencement sending weapons to Ukraine successful guidance to nan deployment. Officials said their consequence would travel successful phases linked to nan extent of practice betwixt Russia and North Korea.

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North Korea and Russia, locked successful abstracted confrontations pinch nan West, person sharply boosted their practice successful nan past 2 years. The U.S., South Korea and their partners person accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells, missiles and different conventional arms to Russia to thief substance its warfare against Ukraine successful return for economical and subject assistance. 

In June, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact stipulating communal subject assistance if either state is attacked.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Greg Norman, arsenic good arsenic The Associated Press contributed to this report.